Cabbage Soup Diet – Surviving the Seven Days Program

Cabbage Soup Diet is one of the fad diets which is designed for fast weight loss and requires no long term commitment. It is designed as seven days program where dieter will have a strict meal plans with cabbage soup as the main ingredients. The program itself is not new; it was first gained popularity at 1980s due to the claim of 10 pounds weight loss per week.

An example of the 7 days meal plans:

Day 1: Fruit; consist of cabbage soup, fruits (except banana), protein shake, fat burner drink, and water with lemon or herbal.

Day 2: Vegetable; consist of cabbage soup, vegetables, protein shake, fat burner drink, baked potato, and water with lemon or vegetable juices.

Day 3: Fruit and Vegetables; consist of cabbage soup, fruit, vegetables, protein shake, fat burner drink, and water with lemon or vegetable juices.

Day 4: Bananas; consist of cabbage soup, banana, low fat dairy, protein shake, and water with lemon or herbal.

Day 5: Fish and Tomatoes; consist of cabbage soup, fish or poultry with tomatoes, protein shake, fat burner drink, and water with lemon or herbal.

Day 6: Poultry Day; consist of cabbage soup, poultry or fish, vegetables, protein shake, fat burner drink, water with lemon or vegetable juices.

Day 7: Rice Day; consist of cabbage soup, vegetables, protein shake, fat burner drink, mushroom risotto, and water with lemon or vegetable juices.

Notes that there is no limit for the consumption of cabbage soup at any day, the dieter can eat as much as he wants. On day three, five, six, and seven, there are no limits for fruit, vegetables, fish, and poultry consumption. The recipes of the soup itself usually consist of cabbage, carrots, peppers, onions, and tomatoes with preferred seasonings. The program also forbid alcohol, bread, and carbonated beverages.

While it is named The Cabbage Soup Diet, there are no scientific studies that show cabbage properties to burn fat. The seven days meal plans indicate that this is another low calorie diet with 800-100 calories per day, the cabbage soup is just there to satisfy the dieter whenever he is hungry.

Pros

1. Fast weight loss; the dieter can expect to lose 10 to 15 pounds at the end of the program.
2. No expensive ingredients; in fact, it's very cheap.
3. Simple; no exercise or any other behavior changes are suggested, it's only the 7 days meal plan.
4. Encourage the dieter to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Cons

1. The diet is very low calorie and considered unhealthy. The cabbage soup itself contains very little protein and the dieter usually will suffer lack of proper nutrition. It is not recommended to consume less than 1200 calories per day unless it is advised by a doctor.
2. Continuously eat cabbage soup throughout the entire week can be really boring, which can encourage the dieter to eat less than the already low calories per day.
3. The cabbage soup recipes usually contain high levels of sodium or MSG (Monosodium Glutamate).
4. There is theory that the weight loss mainly comes from fluid or muscle mass, not fat loss, which will return once the dieter back to the normal eating behaviors.
5. The common cabbage soup recipes usually result in bland soup and some dieters have report to feeling nauseous whenever they smell the soup after finish the 1 week program.
6. Possibly cause frequently fart.
7. Hard to eat out since the meals in the program are not commonly served at a restaurant.

From the facts, it is obvious that this diet has many drawbacks and not recommended; many experts will suggest a traditional long term healthy diet. But it is also true that fast weight loss is really tempting and many will still try it. If you do plan to try this diet program, here are a few things to consider:

1. This diet is for adult, it is not suitable for children and adolescents.
2. Only go on this diet a week at a time, do not try to prolong it.
3. If any health problem occurs, consult your doctor immediately.
4. During the diet, keep remind yourself that the program only last for seven days and it will result on significant weight loss.
5. Drink at least 5 glass of water per day.
6. Try different variety of spices and seasoning to minimize boredom from eating cabbage soup continuously.
7. Even if you don’t like it, force yourself to eat plenty of soup. This diet is already low in calories and you don’t want to starve yourself due to your dislike to cabbage soup.
8. Try to keep stay at home, you will probably too weak from the low calorie foods and to gassy from mass quantities of cabbage. If you are away from home, carry your cabbage soup with you.
9. Consume multi vitamin tablet to complement this diet.
10. Make a journal to keep track your weight loss from day 1.
11. Use a reminder to make sure you eat the right food of the day.
12. Keep steady supply of the ingredients, fruits, and vegetables in your refrigerator.
13. Consume protein shake to avoid lack of protein.

The bottom line is keeping yourself healthy and stay focused during the entire process, you will gain significant weight loss at the end of the program. And don’t just stop there; you should continue it with a healthy long term diet program, check the reviews and the available selection here.